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KMID : 1141120160020010005
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The Nerve
2016 Volume.2 No. 1 p.5 ~ p.9
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Posterior Thoracic Cage Interbody Fusion (PTCIF) as an Alternative Fusion Technique after Laminectomy in Thoracic and Thoracolumbar Junctional Spine
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Shin Hong-Kyung
Oh Sun-Kyu
Choi Il
Jeon Sang-Ryong
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Abstract
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Objective: Thoracic spine fusion is used to surgically treat various spine lesions. However, posterior-only thoracic fusion by using the pedicle screw system can be complicated by pseudoarthrosis or instrument failure. Moreover, when laminectomy is performed for decompression, thus exposing the spinal cord in the thoracic spine, the fusion bed where the bone chips are applied for posterolateral fusion may be insufficient. Therefore, we conducted interbody fusion in posterior thoracic approach.
Methods: All patients underwent posterior only approach. After pedicle screw insertion at the decompressed level, the cages packed with autologous bone chips were inserted into interbody disc space and fixation was performed by rod and screw system. Four patients with thoracolumbar spinal injury and three patients with degenerative disease. Bone fusion was defined as the formation of bony continuity between the upper and lower end plates and around the fusion cages in the posterior thoracic cage interbody fusion (PTCIF) level, as determined by computed tomography (CT).
Results: The average follow-up period was 15.3 (range, 8-28) months. All patients with degenerative disease exhibited neurological improvement. Successful bone fusion was confirmed with CT in all patients more than 3 months after PTCIF. Operation-associated complications did not occur and there was no revision operation.
Conclusion: PTCIF was found to be safe and achieved good outcomes for spinal cord decompression and bone fusion in the thoracic and thoracolumbar junctional spine. Therefore, this surgical method could be considered as an alternative procedure for posterior thoracic decompression and fixation surgery.
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KEYWORD
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Laminectomy, Spinal cord compression, Spinal fusion, Thoracic vertebrae
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